Hi DAK,
Dateline May 13th, 2002 Tverskaya Hotel
We visited with folks at the Russian Academy of Sciences, a state bank, and the Duma. The wives did I do not know what. Haven’t seen them for the whole day.
We will visit with an oil company tomorrow.
The <<Russian friends>> we spoke to were of high enough rank to be paid attention to.
The vice chairman of the bank was impeccably dressed and sported a recognizably pricy watch. Our Duma host was the single Russian high official who spoke out against the Russian invasion of Prague back in 1968. The Academy of Sciences folks were think tank types, concerning themselves with the big questions of state and top line answers of policy. All are very interesting for me.
Our contact introduced my partner and I the way I expected, but always adding the bit about my Russian niece, the lady with beautiful eye lashes, who dominates sports reporting. Yes, all seem pleasantly surprised at the shameless name-dropping. Life is comical – ‘Trinis of Mother Russia’ would make a good Charlie Chaplin movie.
The offices of the academy and the Duma were nothing to rave about compared to international class corporate offices. The bank office was grade-A. And so we know where the money is. The unused entryways into the Duma building were secured on the inside by pieces of 2x4 wood jammed into the door handles.
Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ trilogy floated into my coconut shell many times today. I now know what a decaying empire looks like. Of course, sometimes a birth cry sounds just like a death rattle. Hard to tell. I think Russia will come back.
I will do my gold purchase tomorrow. Apparently more banks deal in gold than not. The faith is strong.
Politically Incorrect Observation: In between meetings we hung out at various cafes in the GUM mall off the Red Square. Yes, the girls waking up at noon and do their social gathering in the afternoon tend to be beautiful, compared to the girls who had to get up and go to work in the morning.
<<Things appear to be unwinding very quickly now... it is no time to be futzing around trading here and there IMO>>
I agree with the first part of your statement. Deficits and debt all around the world, particularly in the US, Euro Zone and of course, Japan. Bad government intention all around on paying back what they promised. Printing presses are so busy. Very bad.
I agree with the second part of your statement, in that this is no time for futzing around.
And yet, the governments are still strong enough to throw up surprises, much like the endings of cinematic thrillers where the seemingly dead killer suddenly grabs the unsuspecting near-victim by the throat.
Chugs, Jay |
